Electric furnace.



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PATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

L. DION. ELECTRIC FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED APR WITNESSES 3W .1.

- with a chamber a, to which access maybe zontal transverse sectionthereof taken in the the drawings however, it is constructed as of siredby a suitable cover a.

UNITED stri ar as PATENT OFFICE.

LEON DION', OF WILKES-BARBIE, PENNSYLVAYIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICUSELECTRO- HERMETIC COMPANY, OF WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC FURNACE. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed April 30, 1906. Serial No. 314,337.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON DION, a citizen of the United States, residingat VVilkes-E Barre, in the county of Luzerne and State of 2Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention, while relating to electric furnaces generally, hasreference more articularly to that class of such devices w ich areemployed in the fusing of metals when in both their crude and in theirreduced states; its object being to produce a furnace of this character,which, while simplified in construction and rendered more efiicient inoperation than those heretofore in use, shall, at the same time, permitof the fusing of the metal without the escape and loss of the fumes andvapors arising therefrom.

To these ends, the invention consists in certain peculiarities ofconstruction and arran ement of parts, the form of which I pre er to usein practice being shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1,is a longitudinal vertical central section of a furnace constructed inaccordance with my invention, and Fig. 2, a horiline in as of Fig. 1.

In both figures the same letters of reference are employed to designatecorresponding parts.

A indicates an inclosing structure, which may be constructedof brick orother heat resisting material, and B indicates a bowl or crucible inwhich the heating and fusing of the metal or ore is effected.

In the construction of the inclosing structure A, various means may beadopted. In

a general rectangular form in horizontal cross-section, and as provided1n itsmterior had through a suitable opening or door a, formed in the toof the structure over the chamber and which may be closed when de-Within the chamber a as thus provided is centrally arranged the bowl orcrucible B, which, as with the inclosing structure A, may be constructedof any appropriate form and ma terial that will suit it to its intendeduse. In the form of the invention which I have sethis bowl or crucibleis shown as constructed of a rectangular form in horizontalcrosssection, with an u per enlarged portion b, and a lower reducechamber portion bflythat is or may be provided with a downwardly andlaterally extended tubular portion b", which, in practice, preferablyextends downwardly and outwardlythrough the side of the inclosingstructure A and may be closed by a suitable plug I) inserted in itslower outer end.

With the bowl or crucible B constructed and arranged as thus explained,it receives near the lower end of its enlarged portion b, the electrodes0 and 0 which extend inwardly and downwardly toward each other throughthe walls of the inclosing structure and through the walls of the bowlor crucible in a downwardly and inwardly inclined direction, with theirinner ends in close relationship to each other, but slightly separated.In these positions the electrodes maybe sup orted by any appropriatemeans. I pre er however, to sup ort them in those positions by suitableho ders c and 0 which are or may be secured to the inclosing structureA, from which they are or may be insulated by insulating stri s c, andare severally provided with suitable olding guide-ways c and 0 throughwhich pass the respective electrodes, with the positive or member, andthe negative or-member, respectively connected to the positive and neative poles of a dynamo or other source of e ectric supply, throughsuitable conductors c and c with which the electrodes are respectivelyrovided. The electrodes 0 and c bein t us arranged, the metal or othermateri 'to be treated may be supplied to the bowl or crucible from anyap ropriate source I prefer however, to supp y it thereto through ahopper C, which is supported upon the to of the inclosing structure Aand is connecte with the bowl or crucible through a chuteway a, formedin theinclosin structure and extending from the bottom 0 the hopper Cto\the u per end of the bowl or crucib e, and rendere capable of beingclosed when desired by a suitable door or slide a, which may be passeddownward through the walls of the inclosing chamber across the chuteway,as shown in Fig. 1.

With :he hopper and chute-way thus arranged, the metal or other materialto betreated will be deposited in the hopper C',

whence it will pass downward through the bottom of the latterand throughthe chuteway' a to the bowl or receptacle l3, and thence to and upon theelectrodes c and 0, upon the inner ends of which it will rest and itsfusing take place when the electrodes are supplied with the appropriateelectric current. The material thus fused will then pass downwardbetween the electrodes to the lower contracted chamber portion 1), fromwhich it may be drawn through the tubular passage-way If, by removingthe plug 1) from its lower end. In being thus subjected to the action ofthe electric current upon and between the electrodes and in being fusedthereby, more or less of the metal or other material in the form offumes or vapor will arise therefrom; and, in order to accumulate andconduct them to appropriate concentrating and recovering appliances, Iprovide the interior of the inclosing structure with an upwardly andlaterally extending passage-way a leading upwardly and outwardly fromthe chamber a, and through which these fumes or vapors may pass, beingaccelerated in their movements and drawn upward therethrough whenrequired by a blast of air supplied through a pipe (1" connected with anappropriate source of air supplied and leading downwardly into and alongwithin the passage-way a as shown in Fig. 1.

In the construction of the electrodes 0 and 0 various forms may beadopted. I prefer however to construct them in the form of plates and toprovide the upper surface of' each with a-longitudinally extendingshallow circular groove 0 whereby to conduct the molten materialinwardtoward their longitu dinal median line, or towards the point wherethe heat is the greatest.

With some kinds of metals and materials the operation of the furnace maybe continuous, and the metals or other materials supplied to the hopperC passed downward continuously through the chute-way a to the bowl orcrucible B where it is subjected to the action of the electric currentpassing through the electrodes, and in such cases the door or slide awill be opened or raised from the chute-wa With other kinds of materialson the ot er hand, as, for instance, the more valuable ones, when it isdesired to recover the fumes or va ors arising from their fusion, then,instead 0 the metal or materials being sup lied to the bowl or crucibleB continuous they will be. sup lied thereto in measure quantities, andtl ie door or slide a, in those cases, will be opened only forsuflicient length of time to allow the required. amount of metals ormaterials to be passed downward through the chute-way, when it will beclosed and remain in that condition until a further quantity is to besupplied, to the end that none of the fumes or vapors arising from thefusion of the metal or other'materials may be passed off through thechute-way and thereby lost.

In most cases the metals or materials being treated, when supplied tothe bowl or cruci 5 ble. will pass downward into the same and rest uponthe electrodes c andc at a y Point thereon within it; \Yith others of amore refractory character, on the other hand, it will be found desirableto deflect the metals or materials thus supplied to the bowl or crucibleinward toward the point of nearest approach of the electrodes to eachother or to the point where the highest degree of heat is to be found.In such cases therefore I find it desirable to provide the interior ofthe bowl or crucible, a short distance above the electrodes, with adownwardly and inwardly inclined flange 1) which extends around itsinterior, and to form beneath its underside through the walls of thebowl or crucible a number of holes or orifices b through which the fumesor vapors arising from the fusion may pass and be thence conductedthrough the chamber a to the assage-way a for delivery to the accumuating and recovering devices, not shown.

With the parts constructed and arranged as above explained it will beseen that I provide an electric furnace, which, is not only simple inconstruction and capable of easy and efficient operation, but one inwhich the fumes and vapors arising from the fusion may a be collectedand delivered to the concentrating or other recovering devices withoutsubstantial loss.

While in the drawings I have shown, and in the foregoing described, thebest means contemplated by me for carrying my invention into practice, Iwish it distinctly understood that I do not restrict myself to the exactform of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that I maymodify the same in various Ways without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having now described my invention and specified certain of the ways inwhich it may be carried into effect, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States 1. The combination in an electricfurnace, with an inclosing structure provided in its interior with achamber, of a bowl or crucible for receiving the material to be treatedarranged in such chamber and provided with a contracted lower chamberportion to receive the metal or other material when fused, andelectrodes, adapted to be connected with a source of electricsupply,arran ed to project into said bowl or crucible an across the pathof travel of the material being treated as such material asses downwardthrou h the bowl or crucible, substantially as escribed.

2. The combination in an electric furnace,

with an inclosing structure provided in its interior with a chamber, achute-way, and with a discharge passage-way, and a bowl or crucible forreceiving the material to be treated arranged in said chamber andconstructed with means by which its contents when fused may bedischarged, of a hopper for receiving the metal or other materials to betreated connected with such bowl or crucible through the chute-way, andelectrodes, adapted to be connected with a source of electric supply,arranged to enter the said bowl or crucible and extend inward across thepath of travel of the material being treated as such material assesdownward through the bowl or crucible, substantially as described.

3. The combination in an electric furnace, with an inclosing structureprovided in its interior with a chamber and constructed with a chute-wayand a discharge passage-way through which the fumes or vapors arisingfrom the fusing of the material supplied through the chute way may pass,of a hopper through which the metals or other materials may be suppliedto the bowl or receptacle through the chute-way, a door or slide for oening and closing such passage-way, and e ectrodes, adapted to beconnected with a source of electric supply, entering such bowl orreceptacle and extending inward across the path of travel of the metalsor materials being treated as such materials pass downward through thebowl or crucible, substantially as described.

4. The combination in an electric furnace, with an inclosing structureprovided in its interior with a chamber, of a bowl or crucible arran edin such chamber and constructed with both an inwardly and downwardlyextending flange around its interior and with orifices formedthrough itswalls beneath said flange, and means through which the metal or othermaterials to be treated may be supplied to such bowl or crucible, ofelectrodes arranged beneath said flange to receive and fuse such metalor materials, and means through which the supply of the metals ormaterials to the bowl or receptacle may be controlled, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination in an electric furnace, with an inclosing structure povided in its interior with a chamber, a chute-way and with adischarging passage-wa a bowl or crucible arranged in such cham er andconstructed with both an inwardly and downwardly extending flange, alower contracted chamber portion and with orifices formed through itswalls beneath the inwardly and I downwardly extending flange, of ahopper through which the metals or other materials to be treated may besupplied to the bowl or crucible through such sal chute-way, means bywhich the chute-way may be opened and closed, and electrodes arrangedbeneath the inwardly and downwardly extending flange to receive and fusethe metals or materials supplied to such bowl or crucible, substantiallyas described.

6. The combination in an electric furnace, with an inclosing structureprovided in its interior with a chamber, a chute-way and a dischargingpassage-way, of a bowl or crucible arranged in such chamber andconstructed with both an enlarged upper portion that is equi ped with aninwardly and downwardly inclined flange, a lower contracted chamberportion and a downwardly and laterally extending tubular portion leadingfrom such contracted chamber portion to the exterior of the inclosingstructure, electrodes entering such bowl or receptaclenear the upper endof its lower contracted chamber portion and adapted to be connected witha source of electric supply, and means by which the metal or othermaterial to be treated may be supplied to the bowl or recep, taclethrough the passage-way and such chute-way opened and closed,substantially as described.

7. The combination in an electric furnace, with an inclosin structureprovided in its interior with a ciamber a discharging assage-way leadingtherefrom through w ich the fumes or vapors arising from the fusing ofthe materials within the inclosing structure may ass, a bowl or cruciblearranged in such cham er, and means by which the metalsor othermaterials to be treated may be supplied to such bowl or crucible, ofelectrodes entering said bowl or crucible and adapted for connectionwith a source of electric supply, and means by which the fumes or vaporsarisin from the fusion may be forced throu h the dischargingpassage-way, substantial y as described In witness whereof I havehereunto set my hand this 25th day of April, 1906.

. LEON DION.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM C. ALLAN,

CHARLES A. DURANT.

